Never Too Late
by speedfanatic05
Summary: “Just when she thought that she had lost faith in love, he had come to the rescue, letting her know, it was never too late...” For the CSI Romance Project 07


Never Too Late

Content Warning: Some instances of abuse

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't have a conniption

A/N: For the CSI Romance Project

_Crash._

_She heard the door splinter into millions of pieces as she frantically looked for a way out of the room, her hands falling on locked doors. Her heart raced as she heard the hard thump of his boots coming down the hallway, the sound that had always left a trail of fear coursing through her. Never in a million years did she ever see herself where she now resided; encased in fear and hurt_. _Usually, Calleigh had prided herself on the strength that she knew dwelled inside of her, put there by three generations of strong , southern women who took nothing from anyone, much less a man. But here she now stood, her body paralyzed in fear of what would come next, or perhaps of the unknown._

"_I know you're in there, Cal. Just make it easier and come on out," he said confidently as he neared the door._

_Calleigh felt the tension lessen in her clenched hand, steadying her gait, waiting for him to open the door. This would never stop if she didn't make a stand, and she had become weary of the day to day and the toll it was taking on her physically as well as mentally. A stand had to be made, and breathing deeply, she realized that today was that day. Today, she would stop running, today she would fight back._...

"Calleigh," his voice said from behind, startling her.

She turned quickly to face him, realizing that he was just a few feet away from her, the proximity making her skittish. Clearing her throat, she moved somewhat and awkwardly tried to position herself as the clear blue eyes of her Lieutenant seemingly pierced her, making her all the more uncomfortable. Since leaving him, Calleigh couldn't tolerate others being so close. She just flat out didn't trust them. Her eyes broke his and she stared at the floor, trying her best to hide the uncertainty that now surged forth inside of her. It was a feat, as it was with everyday, to remind herself that she had escaped his clutches.

"Calleigh," he repeated noticing right off her efforts to put distance between them. For a time now, Horatio had observed his 'Bullet Girl' and how she seemingly changed right before his very eyes. Something had transpired in her life, but as always, she had remained steadfast in keeping it closed, shutting herself away from the world. "Calleigh, are you alright?"

She raised her eyes to his, a smile coming quickly, "Oh, I'm alright, Horatio. Any thing I can help you with?"

Horatio knew what she was doing. She was deflecting any further concern away from her, despite the obvious plastered smile that she tried to broadside him with. He returned her smile and relaxed his stance, instantly feeling the tension ease off some. Despite the dramatic changes in her, he held the contention that she was still beautiful. Although the light seemed to have gone out in her sparkling green eyes, they still held their sway over him. Often , he had found himself lost in her eyes as they spoke, seeing the possibility of what could be swimming around in those alluring pools. Even right now, he had been virtually speechless since her gaze returned to his, and she arched an eyebrow at the silence. It was now his turn to clear his throat, and he shuffled his weight , placing his hands on his hips. If just her eyes had done this to him, he could barely imagine her being in his arms.

Coming back to himself, he answered, " I was just coming down to see your progress on the case from this morning."

"Ah, Mr. Johansson," she responded, her voice retaining the confidence that came with the job. She was very proficient in her work and no matter what was going on in her personal life, Horatio knew without a doubt that he could count on her. "Well, I've been going over the round pulled out of him and was able to define several characteristics. The bullet was pretty well preserved considering what it went through."

"Was there a hit in IBIS?" Horatio asked, wanting to get closer to her, but understanding the unspoken need to remain where he was.

"Not as of yet, but I'm fairly certain that something will come about." With that, Calleigh turned back to her file, her blond hair cascading towards the desk, providing a shield between them. She could still hear him standing there, wondering if there was something more, but she then heard the sounds of the door opening and closing, only then venturing to raise her head once more.

Looking at the door, she sighed heavily as she chastised herself silently. Not every man was what he had been to her, angry, full of violence ,and lacking compassion or love. Horatio was a sterling example of that, being everything that he wasn't, but she still couldn't bring herself to trust just yet. That was a gift given by him, one that she wished she'd never received. It was up to her though to work through it, if she so desired. But right now, she couldn't say that she felt comfortable letting down her guard. Returning back to her work, her mind traveled back to the past, the pain surfacing easily. More than ever did she want to rid herself of the constant reminder of what he had done to her, but she just felt like she couldn't. Again, she felt trapped by him, and again, she was fighting for her freedom.

H/C

Calleigh passed through the atrium of the lab, the solitude of the corridors being somewhat calming to her. After a long , hectic day, she relished the silence of the second shift, her mind beginning to slow down. Usually, she would finish before the second shift arrived, but something inside of her wanted to delay returning to her empty home, wanting to just be apart of the living a little bit longer. Once she got home, she would seal herself in her controlled environment, in her security. Being in the type of relationship she had been in with him had pushed her to that point, trust lost, her heart deceived. She doubted if she even trusted her own emotions .

"Hi, Paula," her intended chipper tone falling desperately short. She picked up the pen , oblivious to the huge tulip arrangement sitting next to her, and began signing her name. Only when she had completed the process, did she look up, her eyes widening in appreciation of the beauty and simplicity of the flowers. "Oh, these are gorgeous. Did someone have an anniversary?"

Paula chuckled as she shook her head, " No, Calleigh, I think they are for you."

"Me?" Calleigh questioned as she lifted her brows in complete surprise. "Who would be sending me a bouquet?"

"There is a card," Paula offered with smile as she took the sign in log and recorded her initials. "That is the sweetest gesture that anyone could do. Or, they are making up for a serious downfall."

Calleigh kept her eyes on the beautiful bulbs of her favorite flower and shook her head lightly, " I don't know what I did, but I need to keep doing it."

"Some times, Cal, it's not what you did, it's who you are. People can recognize the genuine thing."

"Oh, I hardly believe that I'm the genuine thing, Paula. But that was sweet of you to say so," Calleigh returned as she slipped the card out ,cringing slightly at the sound of the name he used to call her.

"So, who is it from?"

"It just says, 'I hope this makes your day a little brighter, and it's an incentive to open up more. I'm here when you want to talk.'"

"No name?"

"Nope, no name," Calleigh responded as she read over the card once again. There was something oddly familiar about the handwriting.

"Well, are there any prospects?" Paula asked, leaning in more as if getting in on the latest gossip.

"That well dried up a long time ago, Paula," Calleigh intoned lightly. Her heart fluttered at the notion of anything besides the self induced loneliness that she had chosen to fortify with her inability to trust. However, Calleigh was a walking contradiction ;deep down, she desired the ability to trust again, but given what she saw day in and day out, she was finding it hard to trust anyone, much less a man. "But it was a nice gesture."

Paula nodded and sat back in her chair and Calleigh gathered the bouquet and slung her bag over her shoulder, a faint smile appearing briefly before fading away as she waved to Paula in her departure. Maybe the road to trust wasn't as far away as she had thought.

H/C

"_Calleigh, I know you're in there..."_

_The door flew open and she could hear his heavy breathing as he stood there. She knew that his fists were clenched, his expression devoid of any compassion. She had done nothing to stoke his ire, but yet here she was again, about to pay the price._

'_You don't have to run anymore', she told herself as she stood up from behind the couch. Instantly his eyes bore into her, causing her to shiver slightly before gaining her bearings. Her heart pumped furiously, the adrenaline flowing through her like a river. "I'm tired of running."_

_Those simple words ignited a fire within him and he approached her quickly, his speed taking her by surprise. Calleigh braced herself against his impending blow, putting her hands up, readying herself. This was going to end, one way or the other..._

Calleigh awoke, twisted amongst the sheets, her hair matted to her skull, drenched in sweat and her heart racing. She took shallow breaths to allow herself to calm down, pushing her hair away from her face, closing her eyes. Every night had been the same, reliving every excruciating moment she had been captive to his brutality, despite his empty promises of never to do it again, and false proclamations of love, and every morning, was spent trying to push those memories into the deep recesses of her mind in her effort to begin to move on and heal.

Yawning, she rubbed her eyes, getting them adjusted to the sunshine spilling into her room as she swung her legs over the tangled sheets and onto the floor. The faded scars of deep gashes stared up at her and she adverted her eyes before the familiar feeling of sadness welled up in her. Glancing up at the night stand, she spied the bouquet of flowers and began to smile. If they were beautiful in the evening light, the sun cast a whole different perspective, making them simply gorgeous now. The vivid yellow color and the fullness of the blooms warmed Calleigh and she leaned in to smell the intoxicating aroma.

"There still might be hope for mankind," she remarked , her voice seemingly loud in the solitude of her room. Her cell came to life and she playfully arched an eyebrow, finishing, "Maybe not."

Answering the call, she knew that her morning ritual was about to be marred by the atrocities that people perpetrated against each other. As with every day, Calleigh questioned why she still did this, why she felt the need to continue to subject herself to the pain and destructiveness of others brutality, something she had been privy to first hand. She would question herself and always came with an answer quickly; it was the very thing that had saved her life. Hope. As she got the location she sighed and then flipped the phone down, tossing it on the bed. Moving methodically, she entered her closet and chose her clothing, one thing running through her mind. She had to be there to help those who needed it the most. Just like she had, just like she still needed.

H/C

Horatio entered the scene, the dark sunglasses covering his eyes protectively. A breath escaped silently as he took in the scene, trying, vainly to make sense of it all. No scene was ever easy, a life taken was always something to be mourned, but this scene brought with it a certain heaviness. He carefully walked towards the epicenter, his eyes darting from Alexx to the body to Calleigh who was crouched in front of the ME as she completed her preliminary examination. Instantly, Horatio could tell that there was something different in Calleigh, but nothing that hadn't been present for a while. Her eyes were vacant, her usually bubbly expression was now drawn. The look sucked the air from Horatio's lungs and he stopped moving completely. The Calleigh that he now saw in front of him was a far cry from the once perky , spitfire southerner he had hired years ago. Now, she was nothing more than a shell. He watched her as she rose slowly, her sight drifting from the body to him, her gait unsteady. Horatio could swear that he had seen pain in her movements.

_Who would hurt someone as beautiful as you , Calleigh? _he thought as she approached him. The oppressive feeling seemed to follow her.

"Unbelievable , isn't it?" she exasperated as she glanced back at the prone body of the woman. "How could anyone inflict so much pain?" Of course, she knew full well, but she wasn't going to voice that at the moment. It was the victim's voice that needed to be heard now. _Aren't I a victim?_ she asked herself as she returned her focus on Horatio. In his eyes, she could read the compassion that was surging forward for the woman who had lost her life . For once, she wished that she could've been on the receiving end of that compassion.

"People are complex, Calleigh. Sometimes, what seems to be isn't," Horatio answered gently as he gazed at her. She could now feel the compassion in his voice and she turned quickly. "Calleigh?"

"Her name is Adele Aguilar, twenty seven. Her mother found her like this and called it in. She's out with Tripp right now," Calleigh responded straight forward. Her momentary lapse in emotion was now shrouded behind her sturdy facade. That strong hold was weakened as she concluded, " It seems,...that she , ah was beaten to death."

Horatio did a double take, the familiar signs now erupting ; the loss of spirit, the distance she was putting between them all, the distrust that surrounded her, all of it pointed to one horrific conclusion : Calleigh had been abused.

"Horatio?" she questioned with a furrowed brow, the silence now permeating through the scene.

"Calleigh, I'm... I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?"

Before he could answer truthfully, Horatio heard his name called and glanced towards Alexx then back to Calleigh, " This has to be difficult for you, but get as much as you can, and hang in there , okay?"

Silently, Calleigh watched him walk away, her confusion giving into anger. She had been careful not to let the signs be seen, but perhaps not careful enough, or perhaps she had been a little too lenient with the small amount of trust that she still held . One thing was for sure, someone had talked, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

H/C

"Alright, who was the big mouth?" Calleigh asked as she burst into the break room, her eyes falling on the only two people she still had a sliver of trust in. Eric and Tim were more like her brothers, making it easier to confide in them. Both had been there when she had gone through her ordeal and for the subsequent fall out. They were the only two who had known the true reason for Calleigh's sudden request for vacation, even though it was well known that Calleigh Duquense didn't take vacations. They were her rock, and now, one , or maybe both of them had betrayed her trust.

"What are you talking about, Cal?" Tim asked gently, putting his paper down. His deep brown eyes clouded in confusion as he glanced towards Eric, shrugging his shoulders.

"Don't call me that," she spat as she glared at the both of them. " No one knew, no one had a clue."

"You aren't making any sense, Calleigh,"Eric offered as he pushed his chair back, his intention being to comfort her. A quick look to Tim cut his momentum and he sat back in the chair.

"He knows, and one of you told him," she accused as she crossed her arms around her.

"We haven't said anything," Tim responded , " we wouldn't do that to you."

"I'm not exactly keen on believing that," she retorted icily, her accent flowing thickly. Without another word spoken, she turned on her heels and pushed through the door, leaving two very confused men in her wake.

Tim turned to Eric completely, "You didn't say anything to him , did you?"

"No, you?"

"Of course not," Tim answered as he flipped the paper back up. "Maybe he figured it out."

"You think we should go after her?" Eric asked as he saw her round the corner, the obvious fury still present in her stilted gait. The saying hell hath no fury like a woman scorned was tame compared to what Calleigh could unleash.

"Are you out of your mind?" Tim asked as he turned a page down, narrowing his eyes at his best friend. "She needs time to cool off. I suggest you give it to her."

Eric nodded as he sat back , sighing heavily. He hoped, for her sake, Speed was right.

H/C

Calleigh stood on the balcony of the lab, gazing out into the retreating sun. The day had become something of a nightmare for her, her world seemingly shrinking at the mere thought that her abusive relationship could've been fodder for the entire lab. She had successfully avoided just about everyone, choosing to spend her remaining hours closed away from the rest of the lab. For the first time in six months, she was actually looking forward to going home, retreating into the confines of her controlled environment. But as she wrapped her arms around her and let the stiff breeze wash over her, she could feel a sense of calm taking over. Her heart broke minutely at the thought of their betrayal, but she rationalized that they hadn't said anything. If Horatio had suspected anything, it was all her own doing. She could see clearly now that her demeanor since the break up had been less than desired.

A tear escaped her eyes as she sighed heavily, the weight of the past six months now catching up to her. She wiped at the tear wistfully, turning to see him standing there, his copper tinted hair moving lazily with the force of the wind. His eyes held the same concern and compassion she had seen earlier, and she was immediately taken with it, finding it hard to speak. He moved forward, and Calleigh backed away, the gesture sending waves of hurt through Horatio. Whatever had happened to her, he wanted to find a way to save her from it. Calleigh kept her eyes on him, her emotions tumbling inside of her, confusion now threatening to take over. She wanted to trust him, but didn't want to relinquish the control that she had fought so hard to win back and maintain. He reached out for her and she eyed his hand warily, the wind picking up slightly.

"Calleigh, I know that something awful has happened to you," he started softly as he retracted his hand and shifted his weight, " and I can't ask you to just lay it all out, but I just wanted to let you know, that I'm here when you are ready to talk."

"What did you just say?" she asked as she lifted her eyes to his, the words from the card surfacing. She started to walk towards him, her expression narrowing. Could she be mistaken?

"That I am here when you are ready to talk."

"That's what I thought you said," she answered as she exhaled. " You sent the bouquet?"

Horatio faced the horizon, a small chuckle coming out, taking a side glance at Calleigh who had now come to his side, " Yes, I did. I just figured you needed something to remind you of the goodness that still exists. I could tell for a long time that you had lost faith in that goodness."

"I'm reminded of that everyday, Horatio. Everyday that I see you, fighting for the weak, and speaking for those that are silenced- I know that goodness is still around," Calleigh replied as she turned to watch the sun making its final bow in the western skyline. "I don't know if I'm ready to trust."

" You can trust me. Don't rush it, Calleigh. Not on my account at least," Horatio responded with a snicker. He looked upon her and saw what had been missing for so long, and now burned through him like a wild fire. Her smile . He exhaled deeply as she inched closer to him, her arm going through his. This was a major step for her, but she felt confident that he wasn't going to let her down. "Calleigh?"

"Let's just stay in the moment, Horatio," she instructed as she retained her sights on the different hues that were now playing in the sky, the oranges and reds dwindling into light purples and finally deep darkness. With the oncoming of evening, Calleigh felt as if she could start to move on properly.

_Six months later..._

Horatio opened the door , the aromas of a dinner being prepared floating from the kitchen, greeting him warmly. He could hear the sounds of the pots hitting each other and her light humming as she worked, a smile coming over his face. For six months he had tried and was successful in getting Calleigh to flourish once more, her infectious laughter, and megawatt smile slowly but surely returning. He realized that in her own time , she would come forward with the truth of what happened, but more than anything, he wanted her to be happy. And in order for her to do that, she had to shed the weight that she carried with her daily.

He walked into the kitchen, eyeing her as she worked methodically, her attention at the moment on the pasta that was boiling. His eyes floated from her long blond hair that was now, unfortunately, put up in a messy bun, down to her hips that swayed ever so slightly , keeping time with the song that was apparently in her mind. Leaning against the wall, he continued to stare, thankful that the old Calleigh was reemerging finally.

"So, are you just going to stand there like a lump on a log, or are you going to chip in?" she asked lightly as she half turned to him, a devilish smile forming at the corners of her mouth.

The thoughts that ran through his mind at that moment were enough to bring color to his cheeks, and he cleared his throat as he shrugged off his suit jacket, hanging it on the back of the chair that was nestled in the breakfast nook. He encircled his arms around her slowly and leaned in, capturing her soft skin with his lips. They had yet to consummate their burgeoning relationship, but as with everything, Horatio was willing to wait.

"Well, it seems as if you have everything under control," he whispered into her skin, losing himself in her .

Calleigh laughed some and nudged him with her elbow, " You can set the table, handsome. Dinner is served."

"I came just in time then," he quipped as he released her and set about his work. Just as he was finishing, she was serving and he sat down, directly across from her, the candles glowing in between them. As she sat, he smiled at her then glanced down at the food, " this, ...this looks delicious. And you slaved over the stove for me?"

"Can't have you all skin and bones while you are off saving the world, now can we?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I suppose not," he answered as he picked up his fork. Twirling it, he then put it down, a sudden feeling coming over him. He had something to say, and he wanted her to listen to him, "Calleigh..."

"After dinner , Horatio. I think we both have something to talk about," Calleigh followed as she started in on her meal. The meal was eaten in virtual silence, the words seemingly lost in the solitude of the moment that existed solely for them. Only when they were both through, did Calleigh venture to speak, her hands lying prone on the table. " I met Archie on a whim," she began her voice already showing signs of weakness. Horatio reached out to take her hand in his, his eyes centering on her as she looked up at him, a smile coming amongst the tears that were now welling up in her eyes. Never did he want to see her in so much pain.

"Calleigh, you don't have to do this. You may not be ready to do this," Horatio offered as he squeezed her hand.

"Horatio, in order for me to completely move on, to completely heal and to be able to give my all, I have to do this. I have to tell you my story."

Horatio nodded and got up, taking her hand and pulling her along with him, "Then we do this right."

He led her to the couch and sat her down as he did, the ethereal glow of the candles casting her in an angelic light. How anyone could hurt her was beyond his scope of reasoning, but he knew that they would never have that chance again. When they were settled, Calleigh clasped her fingers together, wringing them tightly. Even now, a year later, he still held power over her, but just like she took a stand against him for her freedom, so she would now to completely rid herself of his residual effect.

"At first, Archie was kind, sweet, and loving,..."Calleigh started again as she glanced at her hands.

As she traveled through the horrors she had endured, Horatio felt his eyes sting with the tears of disappointment in himself for not being there for her. He listened as she told of the numerous times he had struck her, sending her often to the hospital, her many attempts to conceal it at work, and her confiding in her two most trusted friends. Horatio felt sick to the stomach at hearing the details of her relationship with Archie, knowing that if he ever saw this punk on the streets, he would surely have to put himself to task to maintain his integrity and dignity.

A pause was given and he caressed her tear stained cheek gently, a comforting smile inching across his face. He was now there, and that was what mattered. It all attested to the fact that there was a chance for love to grow between them. He would do what he had to keep her safe, and would move mountains for their love that was in it's infancy. He would fight to preserve what he now knew what was important.

Taking her into his arms he held on to her tightly as if to supply her with the remaining strength she would need to finish the story, his voice coming as a whisper, " You will always be safe with me, Calleigh. You will never have to worry with fear ever again."

Parting from him, she knew that what he spoke was true and she smiled as she wiped the tears away, " I know, and I trust you Horatio. I trust you with everything within me. I trust you with my heart."

"And I will never fail you."

She rested herself on his chest, hearing his strong heartbeat and realized that this was where she belonged. Just when she thought that she had lost faith in love, he had come to the rescue, letting her know, it was never too late.

Fin


End file.
